Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a 1986 American comedy film written, produced and directed by John Hughes. The film follows high school senior Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick), who skips school and spends the day in downtown Chicago along with his girlfriend Sloane Peterson (Mia Sara) and best friend Cameron Frye (Alan Ruck). He creatively avoids his school's dean of students Edward Rooney (Jeffrey Jones), his resentful sister Jeannie (Jennifer Grey), and his parents. During the film, Bueller regularly breaks the fourth wall by speaking directly to the camera to explain to the audience his thoughts and techniques. Hughes wrote the screenplay in less than a week and shot the film, on a budget of $5.8 million, over three months in 1985. Featuring many famous Chicago landmarks including the then Sears Tower and the Art Institute of Chicago, the film was Hughes' love letter to the city: "I really wanted to capture as much of Chicago as I could. Not just in the architecture and landscape, but the spirit." Released by Paramount Pictures on June 11, 1986, Ferris Bueller's Day Off became one of the top-grossing films of the year and was enthusiastically received by critics and audiences alike. In 2014, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry as per being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Plot High school senior Ferris Bueller skips school by fooling his parents into thinking he is sick. He then persuades his depressive best friend Cameron Frye to join him. Ferris coaxes Cameron into taking his father's prized 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder out for a spin. Sympathy spreads throughout his school and the community for Ferris' faked illness, inspiring a campaign to "Save Ferris." His absence is called into question by his sister Jeannie and the school's dean of students, Edward Rooney, who believes Ferris is truant, which Rooney believes jeopardizes his own ability to effectively govern the student body. By phoning the school with a false report of her grandmother's death, the two get Ferris's girlfriend, Sloane Peterson, to come along for the day. Ferris, Sloane, and Cameron drive into downtown Chicago, leaving the Ferrari with two garage attendants, who promptly take it on a joyride. The three friends proceed to go on a tour of the city, including a visit to the Sears Tower's skydeck, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and lunch at a fancy restaurant called Chez Quis where Ferris poses as Abe Froman, the (fictional) "sausage king of Chicago)". A skeptical maître'd (Jonathan Schmock) questions the authenticity of his claim and refuses to seat the group until he is tricked into it by several prank calls. The gang are nearly caught by Ferris's father while leaving the restaurant. The friends continue to enjoy themselves with visits to a Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field and the Art Institute of Chicago. Later, in a cab, despite their many activities, Cameron tells Ferris he has seen nothing good. This comment inspires Ferris to crash the annual Von Steuben Day Parade, dedicating to Cameron a lip-synched performance of Wayne Newton's cover of "Danke Schoen." Ferris proceeds to perform The Beatles' "Twist and Shout" on the float as a very enthusiastic crowd joins him singing and dancing. Meanwhile, Rooney tries to break into the Bueller home, but he is attacked by the family's dog. Also looking for Ferris, Jeannie returns home. She discovers that Ferris has lied and angrily attempts to call their mother. Noticing the door is unlocked, Rooney enters the house after her. Jeannie hears him enter and, believing that he is a stranger, knocks him out, hides in her room and calls the police. Rooney leaves to chase down his car, which is being towed for parking in front of a fire hydrant. The police arrest Jeannie for filing a false report, and while waiting at the police station, she talks to a juvenile delinquent (Charlie Sheen), who tells her not to worry about Ferris. Jeannie's mother finds her kissing the delinquent when she arrives to pick Jeannie up. At the end of the day, the three friends retrieve the Ferrari but discover that over 100 miles have been added to the odometer. Cameron is shocked into self-analysis: he says he has allowed his fear of his father to dominate his life. Back at Cameron's house, the friends jack up the rear wheels of the car and run it in reverse, but it does not remove the miles on the odometer as expected. Cameron unleashes his pent-up anger against his father, kicking and damaging the front of the Ferrari. He says that now is the time to stand up to his father and face the consequences of what he has done. Leaning on the car, he accidentally knocks it off the jack and it crashes through the glass wall of the garage, landing in a ravine behind the house. Ferris offers to take the blame, but Cameron insists that he will take it himself. After walking Sloane home, Ferris realizes he has five minutes to get home before his parents discover he is missing. Ferris is nearly run over by Jeannie, who is driving their mother home. While Mrs. Bueller is distracted, Jeannie tries to beat Ferris home so that their parents can catch him. Ferris makes it back but is caught at the back door by Rooney, who tells him to expect another year of high school under his close personal supervision. However, Jeannie has found Rooney's wallet on the kitchen floor and, with a change of heart, lets Ferris in and blackmails Rooney with the proof that he was the intruder, leaving Rooney to be attacked by the dog once again. Ferris jumps into bed just before his parents check on him, leaving them convinced he was home the whole time. During the credits, Rooney hobbles down the street and then hitches a ride on a school bus to the amusement of the students on the bus. In the post-credits scene, Ferris tells the audience that the movie is over and they should go home. Cast *Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller *Alan Ruck as Cameron Frye *Mia Sara as Sloane Peterson *Jeffrey Jones as Edward R. Rooney, Dean of Students *Jennifer Grey as Jeannie Bueller *Lyman Ward as Tom Bueller *Cindy Pickett as Katie Bueller *Edie McClurg as Grace *Ben Stein as Economics Teacher *Del Close as English Teacher *Virginia Capers as Florence Sparrow *Charlie Sheen as Boy in Police Station *Richard Edson as Parking Garage Attendant *Larry "Flash" Jenkins as Attendant's co-worker *Kristy Swanson as Simone Adamley, the Economics student *Jonathan Schmock as Maitre'd of Chez Quis *Stephanie Blake as Singing Nurse *Dee Dee Rescher as Bus Driver Brandon's copies Brandon has a blank VHS of this movie which he recorded off of Bravo in 2007, as well as the 1999 DVD. This is his favorite movie of all time. Colin Mann also has the 1999 DVD of that movie. Matthew Davis also has this movie on Blu-ray. Category:Films Category:1986 films Category:English-language films Category:1980s comedy films Category:1980s teen films Category:American films Category:American coming-of-age films Category:American teen comedy films Category:Films about educators Category:Films directed by John Hughes Category:Films set in Chicago, Illinois Category:Films shot in Chicago, Illinois Category:Paramount Pictures films Category:Self-reflexive films Category:United States National Film Registry films Category:Film scores by Ira Newborn Category:Films about vacationing Category:Films Brandon has on VHS Category:Films Brandon has on DVD